To Rekindle the Turnabout
by Ari Moriarty
Summary: Eight years after pleading guilty to Justifiable Homicide, Prosecutor Godot is released from prison. With nowhere else to go, he returns to the Wright Anything Agency, in the vaguest hope that someone there might be able to help him figure out who he has become. Luckily for him, Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, and Trucy are prepared to defend him...against himself.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Honestly, this isn't a songfic. However, it was initially inspired by a beautiful song sent to me by the magnificent **Lumos314**. Originally I had intended to include the first chapter as a part of my story **A Talent for Turnabout**, which is full of songfics, but this piece very quickly evolved into its own separate story. I'll post it here with the lyrics, as it was originally written, and we'll see where it goes in future chapters. Thank you for taking the time to read!

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_The piano is not firewood yet_

_I tell you, you're not dying_

_Everyone knows you're going to live_

_So you might as well start trying_

_-_Regina Spektor, "Firewood"

**To Rekindle the Turnabout**

**Prologue**

February 12, 2027 – 9:15 PM

The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency

It was a little after nine o'clock at night two days before Valentine's Day, and Trucy Wright was struggling just a bit with her magician's agenda.

Every year on Valentine's Day, the Wonder Bar hosted an extra-special V-Day event, and this year the event planners had asked if Trucy if she'd step in and perform. She'd been delighted, but they hadn't given her a ton of advanced notice, and she was honestly having some trouble figuring out exactly what sort of "Valentine's" themed tricks she could possibly do. After experimenting with pink and red sparklers and giant heart-shaped smoke rings, she'd ultimately fallen back on an old classic, and had decided to perform some of her favorite card tricks featuring only the King and Queen of hearts.

After school that day she'd headed straight over to the Wright Anything Agency offices where she kept most of her kits and tricks. When Daddy had caught her practicing with sparklers in the office, though, he had insisted that she go outside to the front step to avoid setting any of the office furniture on fire. She was sitting dutifully on the front step trying to make two cards disappear from in between her thumb and forefinger when an older man she'd never seen before strolled over and stopped in front of the office.

He was a striking-looking gentleman, if not a handsome one. Trucy noticed immediately that he wasn't wearing a coat, which was weird considering that it was the middle of one of the coldest Februarys LA had seen in years. Instead he had on a striped tan vest and an old, faded teal-colored shirt. His hair was a shock of unnatural white, but that wasn't what stood out the most. The strangest thing about him was the mask he was wearing over the entire upper portion of his face. It was silver with three red glowing lights on it, like some kind of space-age visor from another world.

_Wow, _thought Trucy. _Cool! Um…wait, I don't know this guy, do I? Somehow, he's kind of familiar…_

"Excuse me." The man nodded at Trucy. "I have to ask. What are the cards for?"

"Oh!" Trucy grinned. "I'm practicing a new card trick for my magic show! Here, I'll show you." She quickly re-arranged the cards in her hand, and held the deck out to the white-haired man. "Go ahead, pick a card."

He frowned, but then shrugged, , cut the deck, and lifted one of the cards from the inside of the stack.

"Ooh," said Trucy, "Tricky! Most people just take the top card."

The man shrugged. "Guess I'm not most people."

_Fair enough, _thought Trucy. "Okay," she said. "Then, look at your card, but don't tell me what it is, okay? I'm going to guess."

She half expected him to take the mask off, but instead he just held the card up in front of his visor, nodded, and then said, "Alright. Guess away."

_Ooh, a cool customer, huh? _ Trucy found herself getting fired up. "Here we go! I am positive that the card you're holding must be the Queen of Hearts!" She paused, but the expression on the man's face didn't even flicker. "Um. Did I get it right? I mean, of course I did. It's the Queen of Hearts, isn't it?"

Silently, the man flipped his card over so that Trucy could see. It was, indeed, the Queen of Hearts, but somehow he didn't look particularly impressed.

"Ta-Dah!" Trucy beamed at him. "So? I got it! Aren't you surprised?"

The man pointed one long finger at the deck of cards. "You've got a whole deck of 'Queen of Hearts' cards in there, right? Oldest trick in the book."

"No way!" Slightly offended, Trucy handed him the deck again. "You can look for yourself! It's a full deck of 52 normal playing cards. I got them from the poker club where Daddy used to work."

After taking a moment to look over the cards, the man nodded, and then a slow, almost lazy smile spread over his face. "Alright," he admitted. "I stand corrected. Nice job. How do you do it?"

"A magician," Trucy informed him with a grin, "never shares her secrets!"

For some reason, that made the man laugh.

"I'm doing a magic show at the Wonder Bar on February 14th," continued Trucy brightly. "I'll be doing all kinds of card tricks and lots of other stuff there as well, all themed around the King and Queen of Hearts! It's a must see, and it's pretty cheap! You should be there!"

"The Queen of Hearts is a cruel mistress," retorted the man. "If I were you, I wouldn't play too many tricks on her. She's usually the one holding all the cards."

_What, _wondered Trucy, _is that supposed to mean? _

"Sorry to interrupt your practice," the man continued, gesturing at the office building. "I'm looking for someone. Actually, I'm looking for the Wright and Co. Law Offices. Think you could point me in the right direction?'"

"Oh, are you in some kind of trouble?" Trucy gave him a confident grin. "Don't worry; Mr. Phoenix Wright is here to defend you! Um, everyone else is on vacation right now, actually, but I don't think Daddy has any clients at the moment, so that should be fine."

"…Daddy?" The man stared at her. "Hang on. Are you saying that your father is…?"

"Uh huh," agreed Trucy. "Phoenix Wright's my Daddy. My name's Trucy Wright." She shoved the cards into her pocket and held out a hand, which the white-haired man took and shook gently.

"Well," he muttered, "that's definitely a new one. No, I'm not in trouble…at the moment. Actually, you might say I'm an old acquaintance of your dad's, in a way. He probably won't be expecting me." Again he flashed that lazy smile, and suddenly, despite the fact that she couldn't see his eyes, Trucy got the strong sense that this strange man was very, very tired.

"What's your name?" asked Trucy, a bit unsettled, but still careful to stay friendly.

"Hah." The man shook his head." That's a good question. Afraid I'm not sure how to answer it, though."

"Uh…" Trucy blinked. _Wait, he doesn't know his own name? Is he…in disguise, or something? Oh, maybe that's what the mask is for, actually. Yeah, that would make sense._

"Is your Dad in?" The man glanced over his shoulder at the offices, and Trucy nodded hurriedly.

"Oh, yeah," she said. "He's probably getting ready to go home, so he'll be wondering what happened to me. Let's go in together."

_**to be continued...**_


	2. Chapter One

**Author's Note: **I am on a publishing/updating roll tonight! Insomnia is a wonderful promoter of updates.

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**Chapter One**

February 12, 2027 – 9:45 PM

_The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency_

Things had been a little too quiet all day in the Wright Anything Agency law offices. For so long, Phoenix had been accustomed to a bustling office full of busy attorneys, and the silence now actually made him kind of uncomfortable. As far as he could remember, the last time there'd been this much silence in the office had been when Athena had been arrested on murder charges while Apollo was in the middle of his little 'leave of absence,' and maybe it was that unpleasant association that creeped Phoenix out so much.

Of course, this time there was nothing really that strange about the calm that had fallen over the building. Athena and Apollo had taken a month-long work hiatus in order to study with a famous German prosecutor who was offering a final series of lectures and courses overseas before his retirement. Apparently he was an old friend of Athena's, because he'd contacted her a few months ago to let her know that he was ready to step down from the legal profession. When she'd begged Phoenix to let her and Apollo go and study with him for a month, Phoenix had struggled to find a good reason to say no.

_It's never a bad idea to spend some time studying the methods of the prosecution, _he'd reminded himself. _I have some experience with German prosecutors, and they're both impressive and intense when it comes to the way they work. This is an excellent opportunity for both Apollo and Athena to learn what to expect from the best of the competition. _

He'd ended up agreeing to it, of course. Apollo and Athena had packed their bags and left on their whirlwind European adventure, and then suddenly Phoenix had been very alone in a set of offices that no longer felt as cramped and crowded as they were supposed to.

At eight o'clock that evening, when the silence had finally become too much for him, Phoenix had made a phone call to an old friend, and twenty minutes later, Maya Fey had hurried in through the office doors, dressed as usual in her Kurain training robes and wearing a big, enthusiastic grin on her face.

"Nick!" She'd thrown her arms around him and given him a huge hug. "It's been way too long! Wow, it's…super empty in here. Ugh, and it's messy, too. Oh well. I guess some things never change! I guess it if it was super clean, maybe I'd hate it. It wouldn't feel quite so much like home…"

She was now perched on the edge of his desk, humming tunelessly along with the music while Phoenix played a new song on the portable keyboard that he'd picked up at the second hand store down the street. He'd been practicing with a private tutor for months, and even though Maya was just short of tone-deaf herself, he wanted her to hear what he'd been working on.

"That sounds great!" She nodded encouragingly as he finished. "I mean, okay, so maybe I don't know too much about music, but I know what I like, and I didn't hate that."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Uh…thanks, I think."

"Uh huh. Don't mention it." Maya grinned. "Anyway, you're definitely a lot better than you used to be! I think most of those notes were even the right ones! At least, I couldn't tell if they weren't. That's a huge improvement for you!"

_I guess I should take that as a compliment, _thought Phoenix. _After all, she has a point. I've never professed to being a great piano player. Still, it's…kinda nice to hear some praise, even if it's a little backhanded. I could get used to this…_

"Hey, Nick." Maya kicked her legs against the desk, frowning to herself. "You know, I think we're missing out on something important, here."

"Huh? What's that?" Phoenix stopped playing, and looked over at her.

"Well," began Maya, "it's just that we're all alone in an empty office for a whole month, right? You know what you're supposed to do when you have the whole place to yourself and no work to do?"

Phoenix shrugged. "Catch up on some extra sleep?"

"Uh, no." Maya rolled her eyes. "When did you get to be such an old man? No, we're supposed to have a GIANT PARTY! Come on, don't you think it's a great idea? We can invite everybody, order some food, stay up late, watch old Steel Samurai movies and catch up on old times! It'll be perfect!"

"Um, this isn't college," objected Phoenix. "What you're suggesting sounds like some kind of sorority sleepover."

Maya blinked. "Nick, what do you know about sorority sleepovers? Huh, maybe I really missed out by not going to college..oh, well."

_Still, _mused Phoenix, _it does kind of sound like fun. After all, Apollo isn't here to glare at me and insist that we stay on task all of the time. Might be nice to see some of the old crew again, assuming I don't let Maya get too out of hand. Last time we tried something like this, she ordered pizza from six different local companies and charged them all to me…_

"Okay," he said. "Maybe it's not that bad an idea after all, actually. Um…who do you want to invite?"

Maya had to think about that for a moment. "Well," she mumbled, chewing on her lower lip. "Obviously we have to call Mr. Edgeworth. He'll say he's too busy, but we need to make sure he comes, so maybe we should call him a few times until he gets annoyed and decides to show up just so we'll stop calling the office. That worked last time, remember?"

_Edgeworth, _thought Phoenix, _really is a very busy man, Maya. The Chief Prosecutor may not actually have time to show up whenever you decide to throw a little get-together. Do you actually have any idea what he does all day?_

"And Larry," Maya went on, ticking the names off on her fingers as she listed them. "He's always around. Um, and definitely Gumshoe and Maggey, too. Of course Trucy'll be there, and…wait, does Trucy have a boyfriend?"

Phoenix's jaw dropped. "Wha…WHAAAT? Does she have a…? No, of course not. What kind of a question is that?"

"Aw, Nick." Maya shook her head at him. "You're cute when you're in 'overprotective Daddy' mode, but you have to admit, it's gonna happen eventually! After all, she's almost seventeen, right? She's pretty cute, too. I bet all the boys at school are starting to notice her."

"Uh…" Suddenly, Phoenix's head was full of the horrible images of horny teenage boys with their pants hanging way, way too low, leering at his beautiful, innocent little girl as she walked through the halls of her high school. He clenched both fists, and made a mental note that it might be time to each her how to use the mace he'd been saving for exactly this kind of special occasion.

"One day," Maya was saying, clearly enjoying the agony on Phoenix's face, "it's going to happen. Trucy's going to walk through that door, arm in arm with some creepy guy you've never seen before, and you're gonna have to figure out how to deal with it! Love is all a part of growing up, although…" For a moment, she frowned. "Actually, I never had a boyfriend when I was growing up. I don't even have one now. Do you think its possible that we're both going to die really old maids? Maybe I should get some cats."

Phoenix was just getting ready to remind Maya that he was, in fact, allergic to cats when the front door did swing open, and Trucy walked in, supporting a creepy older man by the arm.

"Wha...? ACK!" He gaped. "Trucy, what are you-?"

Maya gasped. "Oh…Mr. Armando! You're here! Wait…um…was that today?" Frantically, she turned on Phoenix, and demanded, "Quick, what day is it today? It's the 11th, right? February 11th?"

The strange white-haired man cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, today is February 12th."

"Oh, no…I'm, uh…I'm really sorry!" Maya hung her head. "It was an honest mistake. I just, uh…I guess maybe I woke up this morning and forgot to mark my calendar. Actually, no, it was Pearly's fault, because this morning, she…"

Phoenix, however, had already stopped listening. He was busy examining the face of the newcomer. Actually, he was staring at the white-haired man's mask.

"Prosecutor Godot?" He blinked. _But…wait, that can't be possible. Godot's been in prison for years, unless….?_

The man formally known as Diego Armando and/or Prosecutor Godot inclined his head politely at Phoenix. "If you're wondering, then no, I didn't escape. As a matter of fact, I am on the record as having been an excellently behaved convict." He chuckled darkly, and then waved that away with one hand. "Thanks to a particularly well-brewed defense on the part of a certain 'Phoenix Wright, defense attorney,' I completed my eight-year prison sentence this morning. I am, as it were, a free man." He held out both wrists, as if to demonstrate the lack of shackles, then shook his head and seated himself in the chair across from Phoenix's desk. "For what it's worth, anyway. Can't say I've got a lot of use for this 'freedom.'"

Phoenix wasn't sure what to say. "I, uh…I'm glad to hear it," he mumbled confusedly. _Wait, _he thought, _he was released today? How the hell didn't I know that already? I feel like I should have been there, or something…I mean, he was a client of mine. This is…kind of a big deal. _

"I was supposed to meet him at the prison," muttered Maya dejectedly. "But like I said, I, um…I forgot what day it was today. Mr. Armando…I'm really sorry."

Armando shrugged. "Don't beat yourself up. This nice young lady was kind enough to help me out." He turned and grinned at Trucy, and she smiled back. "Anyway," he went on. "I'm here, now."

"You…are, aren't you?" Phoenix ran a hand nervously through his hair. "Well, uh, that's great! Can I get you anything? Um, a glass of water? I think we have some leftover noodles in the fridge. I guess you're probably pretty hungry, right?"

"Not especially," muttered Armando. "But I appreciate the offer." He sighed wistfully. "I wouldn't say no to a good cup of strong coffee, though. Not even sure I can remember what the good stuff tastes like anymore…but I've spent eight years dreaming about it every night. The bitterness of deprivation gave me something to look forward to, I guess."

Phoenix was impressed. _I can't imagine this guy going for eight years without a cup of coffee, _he thought. _After the way he used t to down that stuff, it's amazing that he even survived. I mean, I'm all in favor of just imprisonment, but I'm not sure death by caffeine deprivation falls under the category of "justice." _

"Um, daddy?" Trucy raised a hand. "Should I make some of that special coffee that you like?"

"Special coffee?"" Armando was suddenly much more alert and interested. "What's that, exactly?"

Phoenix and Maya exchanged a quick look. "It's a personal favorite of mine," said Phoenix, as nonchalantly as he could. "An old acquaintance of mine used to love the stuff. He called it, 'blend 107.'"

"You're…not serious," muttered Armando, staring.

"Oh, he is." Trucy beamed. "Daddy swears by that coffee! He always drinks it before a big trial! It's a little too bitter for me, but I put a lot of sugar in it and it helps me stay awake for really late shows. Should I make you some?"

Phoenix grinned. Armando looked genuinely stunned.

"Yes, please, Trucy," said Phoenix. "I'd appreciate it."

Trucy nodded. "Three cups of scarily strong coffee, coming right up!" She grinned, turned on her heel, and bounced into the kitchen, leaving Phoenix, Maya, and Armando alone in the room.

When Phoenix looked back at Armando, the older man was smiling and shaking his head in disbelief.

"So," he muttered. "I guess you developed a taste for bitterness after all. Or, for bitter recollections, maybe."

Phoenix nodded. "Whenever I drink that coffee, I think of a woman I used to work with. She was very important to me. Maybe you knew her. Her name was Mia Fey."

For a long moment, Armando and Phoenix gazed at each other in silence.

"Heh," muttered Armando eventually, settling back in his chair.

**to be continued…**

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**Author's End Note: **I think my brain has taken about as much as it can today. I've run 48 hours straight with no sleep, but everything is kind of blurry at this point, so please forgive the typos, as usual. I promise to correct them as soon as an opportunity arises.


	3. Chapter Two

**Author's Note: **So, you may notice that there's a little bit of overlap between this story and a couple of my other stories. Characters in each of my stories may make a similar-sounding comment or joke, or may reference similar situation.

I think I've decided that all of the stories I write are actually connected in one big timeline/universe, so you can actually read all of them together to make up one cohesive plot. I need to go back and double check all my dates to make sure everything meshes smoothly together. It will take a little doing, but please bear with me. Please forgive me if I do a little bit of editing here and there to help everything make more cohesive sense.

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**Chapter Two**

February 12, 2027 – 10:20 PM

The Offices of the Wright Anything Agency

"Actually, Mr. Armando, if you don't mind me asking," began Phoenix awkwardly, once Trucy had brought the coffee. "Um…why exactly are you here, anyway?"

"Nick!" Maya glared.

Trucy looked shocked. "Daddy!"

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way!" Phoenix held out both hands in protest. "I'm not trying to be rude. It's just…I mean, honestly it's kind of strange. I know I'm your attorney, Mr. Armando, but is a lawyer's office really the first place you'd want to go right after being released from prison?"

Armando took a long swig of his coffee, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "One prison is really just like another to me. Not that I don't appreciate this." He gestured at the coffee mug.

"Prison? H-hey, this place isn't that bad." Phoenix flushed. "Maybe it needs a little cleaning up, sure, but…"

"The little lady here," interrupted Armando, nodding at Maya, "suggested that I chain myself to your operation, now that my other chains have been cast off. I always have a hard time refusing a lady…so, here I am."

_Chaining himself to me? _Phoenix blinked. _Wait…is he saying what I think he's saying? No way…_

"You're not…actually suggesting that you come and work for me, are you?" He tried to keep his voice as level as he could.

"Again," muttered Armando, "it wasn't my idea."

"Please, Nick," begged Maya. "Mr. Armando was a great prosecutor, and he used to be an even better defense attorney! Mia was always talking about how talented he was, and about how much she looked up to him. We could really use someone like him around the office, especially now that Athena and Apollo are gone for a little while."

_This is not happening. _Phoenix could barely believe his ears. "Maya," he mumbled, "Apollo and Athena are only on vacation until the end of the month. They'll be back in no time."

"But," insisted Maya, "they could probably learn something from Mr. Armando, too! After all, he has a lot of experience, and you're always talking about how valuable it is for a young lawyer to have lots of different points of reference, and teachers, and experiences, and…" She trailed off, perhaps forestalled by the horrified look on Phoenix's face. "It's a good idea! Really! Just think about it, okay?"

Phoenix glanced over at Armando, who still had his eyes closed.

"Mr. Armando," he managed. "Would you, um, excuse me for a moment? I think Maya and I need to have a little…conference."

"Sure." Without batting an eyelash, Armando stood up, stretched, and made for the door. "I'll just get some fresh air, then. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee on a cold, bitter night. It's the little things in life…"

He strode out the front door, leaving Phoenix feeling slightly dazed.

"Um," said Trucy, "I'll…go keep him company." Darting a quick glance at her father, she ran out after him. Phoenix and Maya remained alone in the office.

Phoenix sat down at his desk, and massage his temples with both hands. "Maya," he muttered. "What were you thinking?"

"Please, Nick," Maya pleaded. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go. It's been eight years. It's not like there's a home for him to go back to."

"But he can't practice law in this office," insisted Phoenix. "He can't practice law anywhere, Maya. He's been disbarred, obviously. You can't retain your license to practice law once you've been convicted of a crime. Once you've lots your badge, it's almost impossible to get it back. Most people never do."

"But you did," Maya reminded him. "Nick, you're the only person who can help him!"

Phoenix shook his head. "I was never formally convicted of a crime, and I never did any time. When the truth came out a couple of years ago, and my name was cleared, there was no sentence working against me. Even then, it would have been incredibly hard to get my badge back if it hadn't been for Edgeworth. He stepped up and made my case for me. Without him, I might never have practiced again. Mr. Armando is a killer, Maya. He pled guilty and served eight years for stabbing your mother to death. His situation and mine aren't similar, and there's probably nothing I can do to help him. I'm sorry."

For a long time, Maya didn't say anything. She bit her lip hard, and gazed at the floor, until the silence started to make Phoenix uncomfortable.

"It's my fault," she said eventually, in a very small, uncharacteristic voice. "I did this, didn't I? He…he killed my mother because he was trying to save me, for Mia. If Mia was here, she'd do everything she could to make it right, but…but she isn't here, and I have to do it myself. I have to help him, Nick. Mia and I ruined his life. I can't just abandon him and pretend that this isn't my problem. I won't, because…because it's all my fault."

"Maya," insisted Phoenix gently, "None of this is your fault. You never asked him to do any of the things that he did. You aren't responsible for what happened."

Maya slammed both hands down on Phoenix's desk and glared at him. "But if it wasn't for him, I'd be dead! I'd be dead right now if he hadn't committed that crime. So you see…you see, I am responsible. We have to look out for each other. He looked out for me, and now it's my turn. That's how this is supposed to work! Isn't that right?"

Phoenix couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Maya looking so small and lost. Now the powerful Master of the Kurain Channeling School, Maya was an impressive woman in her own right. She never let anything get her down for long, but now, seeing the doubt and guilt in her eyes, Phoenix was horribly reminded of that fatal case years ago when she'd had to watch her mother murdered right in front of her, after her mother had voluntarily chosen to channel the spirit of a cold-blooded killer who, under orders, was out for Maya's blood. That had been a terrible time, and for weeks after the trials' conclusion, Phoenix had awoken to phone calls in the middle of the night from a desperately sobbing Maya, who hadn't been able to sleep because of the nightmares , the guilt, and the pain.

"Please, Nick," she whispered. "Please, you have to help me. We have to do something for him. If you won't do it for me, then do it for Mia."

She straightened up in her chair, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, resting her hands in her lap in the pose she always adopted right before beginning a channeling. Realizing what she was about to do, Phoenix hurried over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't," he said. "You don't need to call her. I don't need to hear any more."

"But, Nick!" Maya looked desperate. "I just-!"

"I'll do what I can," Phoenix told her, shaking his head. "I don't know exactly what that is, but you're right. We owe Mr. Armando a huge debt. After all, he saved your life, and I need to thank him for that, too. I don't know what I would have done all these years without you. I don't…even want to think about it, so let's not."

Startled, Maya opened her mouth, closed it, and then smiled. "Th-thanks. I…I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

_Let's not get excited, _thought Phoenix unhappily. _Don't thank me until I've actually done something. As of right now, I have absolutely no idea where to start…_

**Meanwhile, out on the front steps of the office…**

"I know who you are, now," announced Trucy, as she and Armando sat side by side on the top step. "I thought you looked familiar. Dad talks about you sometimes, when he tells stories about his old cases. He says that you were one of the toughest prosecutors he ever faced, second only to Mr. Edgeworth."

"Oh yeah?" Armando frowned. "Edgeworth, huh? Funny, last time I ran into him, he was a defense attorney. A man of many talents, I see. Interesting."

"Maya talks about you too," continued Trucy. "She says you're the one who saved her life in that case all those years ago. Daddy doesn't like to go into a lot of details about it, but I did some research on my own, and I found out that Maya's mother died in that case."

"Yeah," agreed Armando. "That's true."

"So, then," mused Trucy, "you're almost like Maya and Daddy's hero. You swooped in to save the day and to rescue and Maya from the hands of the fate! That's pretty heroic, if you ask me. It's like someone could write a song about you. Maybe Klavier could write one. I should ask him. Ooh, that's not a bad idea!"

Armando stared at her, and then just shook his head. "A hero? Nah, you've got it all wrong. Your Dad's one of the best defense attorney's I've ever met. Don't tell me you don't understand how the law works. A convicted killer isn't a hero. He's a criminal, by definition. 'Hero' and 'Criminal' are about as mutually exclusive as you can reasonably get."

"But," countered Trucy, "you saved Maya's life, and by saving Maya's life, you probably saved Daddy's career, and maybe his sanity. I think that's pretty heroic!"

"You don't think like most people." Armando gave her one of his slow smiles. "Are you really Wright's kid? You're a lot more…loose with your definitions of justice than he is. Can't tell if that's a good thing or not."

"Oh, well, no, not actually," Trucy informed him. "Um, I mean, Daddy's my Daddy, of course, but, really I'm adopted. My first Daddy was Zak Gramarye, of the famous Gramarye troupe! We're all magicians. That's how I started learning."

Armando nodded. "Magicians, huh?" he paused for a moment, finished off the last of his coffee, and then put the mug down on the step. "I might have a job for you, then, little miss Trucy Wright. What do you say we try to make me disappear?"

"Oh, um," mumbled Trucy, startled." I can't really make people disappear yet. I'm still working on that one. I can hide them for a while, sure, but, actually making someone vanish is really hard. People are pretty conspicuous, you see, so you have to be really careful. Plus, they have a lot of parts, and you want to be sure that when you bring them back, everything's still attached the way it was when you started out. It's a super complicated trick."

"Figures," sighed Armando. "Don't beat yourself up, though. You're not the first person who's struggled with this kind of thing. I guess it's just like you said; it must be really hard to make someone disappear. People have been trying it on me for years, but no luck yet. Not even I've been able to make myself vanish. I just keep coming back like that bad taste in your mouth when the coffee's all gone and all you've got left are the bitter memories."

**To be continued…**

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**Author's End Note: **Oh my good sweet lord…I updated too much and now I am going to be late for work.

…Will fix typos later. Patience please.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

February 13, 2027 – 10:43 AM

Chief Prosecutor's Office

"You look uncomfortable, Wright," muttered Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth, as he sat behind his desk across from old friend and long-time rival Phoenix Wright. "I confess that doesn't give me great hopes for this meeting. I can only assume that you are about to make one yof our typically ridiculous and outlandish requests. We only ever seem to meet under outrageous circumstances, nowadays."

_Yeah, _thought Phoenix. _Well, you never call, you never write. You're terrible at keeping in touch. What do you want from me? Would it kill you to just send me a text now and then? _

"So?" Edgeworth tapped impatiently on the edge of the desk. "I am a busy man. Let's have it. Why are you here?"

Phoenix sighed. "Uh…yeah, about that. Do you remember the trial of Sister Iris a ton of years ago? She was indicted for the murder of Elise Deuxnim…uh, Misty Fey, actually."

"Do I remember?" Edgeworth snorted. "How could I forget my illustrious debut as 'Miles Edgeworth, Defense Attorney?'"

_Hey, you don't have to make it sound like such a chore, _thought Phoenix. _Being a defense attorney isn't so bad, even if it's not a cushy job like being 'Chief Prosecutor.' You weren't half bad at it, either. _

"I presume," continued Edgeworth, "that this has something to do with the recent release of Ms. Fey's killer, Mr. Diego Armando? I remember him too, of course. He had a disturbing caffeine fixation."

"Yeah, that's the guy," agreed Phoenix. "Anyway, uh…so, he's out of prison, now, and he showed up at my place the other night. Maya's pretty attached to him, for…obvious reasons."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "He killed her mother. I fail to understand why-?"

"He also saved her life," interjected Phoenix. "Yeah, I get it, it's complicated, but you can't blame her for wanting to return the favor. Anyway, she, uh…she wants me to hire him."

Edgeworth had just lifted a cup of tea to his lips, and was in the process of taking a sip. Upon hearing what Phoenix had just proposed, he choked and spat out a spray of tea, which spattered the desktop in between them.

"Ew," mumbled Phoenix.

"Wright," asked Edgeworth, ignoring him, "what did you just say?"

"I said," Phoenix repeated, clearing his throat and straightening himself up a bit in his chair, "that I want to hire Mr. Diego Armando on as a member of the Wright Anything Agency." _Can't put this all on Maya, _he reminded himself. _I need to take some personal responsibility, here. After all, it's my agency. I'm in charge. I'm the boss. The impetus has to come from me._

Edgeworth just shook his head. "And you say Miss Fey put you up to this? Even for her, this is a bit…extreme. You know perfectly well that what you propose is impossible. The man formally known as Prosecutor Godot no longer possesses any of the necessary credentials to practice law."

"Yeah." Phoenix sighed. "I know that, obviously. I'd like to get his badge reinstated. I'm willing to pursue all available avenues to achieve that."

"There are no available avenues," insisted Edgeworth. "He is a convicted murderer."

"Killer," corrected Phoenix quickly. "Not murderer. Justifiable homicide isn't murder. He did it to save a life."

"And to save a life," Edgeworth countered, "he chose to take the life of another. Surely you of all people understand the nature of the justice system. A man who takes the law into his own hands is a public menace and will forever be viewed as such. There is absolutely no possibility of him being permitted to serve in a court of law. You knew that when you walked in here. You must have known. This is exactly as ridiculous as I expected it would be."

_Then why did you agree to this meeting? _Phoenix frowned. "Look, Edgeworth. There's been one case that you and I both know of, in which a convicted murderer was still allowed to stand and argue in court."

For a moment, Edgeworth didn't say anything, but just sipped thoughtfully at his tea.

"I'm talking about Simon Blackquill," said Phoenix. "For years he was rotting in a prison cell waiting for his execution, and you let him prosecute. There's precedent for that kind of thing, and Mr. Armando isn't even in prison anymore. He's been released, so…"

"So the situations are not similar," muttered Edgeworth, wagging an admonitory finger at Phoenix. "You and I are both aware that Simon Blackquill was wrongly convicted and had committed no crime but that of willful perjury for the sake of protecting his mentor's daughter."

"Yes," Phoenix agreed, "but at the time there wasn't any proof of that. You had your suspicions, and I believed in you, but you let him stand in court even before we'd overturned the verdict in his case. I mean, come on, you had to have him shackled up behind the prosecutor's bench. The situations are totally different. Diego Armando would never-!"

"Wright." Edgeworth cut him off. "This debate is meaningless. I do not have the power to return this man to his former profession. I cannot force the bar association to return his badge, and no amount of argument on your part or mine is likely to persuade them to do so. It would take some kind of a twisted miracle to achieve the result you're asking for."

_A miracle, _mused Phoenix. _No, maybe not. Maybe just an opportunity…for a second chance. _

"Listen," he said, planting both hands on the desktop and looking Edgeworth firmly in the eye. "I'm not asking you to return his badge or to work miracles. I'm asking you to give him one opportunity to prove himself, so that everybody out there can see what he's really capable of. I want you to give him personal permission to defend one case in court."

"What? No." Edgeworth frowned. "Absolutely not."

"One case" insisted Phoenix. "It doesn't even have to be a very important case. I'm not saying that you won't face complaints and opposition from a bunch of people, but personal permission from the Chief Prosecutor's office should be enough to shut them up, at least for just one case. Come on, it's not that big of a deal."

Edgeworth was staring. "No. Are you out of your mind? Do you understand how many rules you are asking me to break? And you call yourself a defender of justice."

_Hey, I've never called myself that, exactly, _thought Phoenix. _Who do you think I am, Bobby Fulbright? I mean…yeah, I guess that is what defense attorneys do, but you don't have to make it sound so melodramatic._

"One case," he repeated. "Please, Edgeworth. Do this one thing for me."

"And why should I?" Edgeworth shrugged. "What are you offering me in return for completely disregarding my duties and bending to your peevish whims?"

Phoenix winced. _I hate having to put it like this, _he thought unhappily, _but if you're gonna be like that about it, then…_

"You owe me," he reminded Edgeworth. "You owe me for the Simon Blackquill verdict, and now's your chance to make things right between us. Do this one thing for me, and it'll put us back on even ground again, right back where we've always been."

"Even ground?" Edgeworth chuckled. "Wright, I am the Chief Prosecutor. I outrank you in almost every possible way. We're hardly 'even,' are we?"

"I can still school you in the courtroom," Phoenix informed him. "You want to prove how 'even' we really are, then come back any time and prosecute a case for me. High-ranking or not, I'll take you down, just like I always do."

For a moment, Edgeworth's eyes widened ever so slightly, and Phoenix wasn't sure if he'd just completely blown his only opportunity. Then, slowly, Edgeworth gave him the tiniest of amused little smiles.

"Heh," he muttered. "I see you haven't changed a bit. As always, full of hot air and unnecessary bravado."

"And you," countered Phoenix, "never back down from a challenge. What about this challenge, Edgeworth? Are you gonna rise to it, or not?"

Edgeworth sipped his tea, and contemplated the desktop in silence.

Phoenix, having said all there was to say, waited, and tried not to squirm in his chair.

**Meanwhile, in Kurain village…**

Pearl Fey and Diego Armando were walking together through the center of Kurain Village, towards the Kurain Master's residence.

"Have you ever been here before, Mr. Armando?" Pearl smiled at him. "It's not a very big village, but I like it. The people here are nice, and it's very quiet. I think you'll like it here, really."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's great," agreed Armando, nodding at her. "Hey, I'm not picky, and it's not like I have too many options. Most places aren't interested in hosting a cold-blooded killer like me. You and Maya are being pretty classy to put me up like this. I bet the people in the village are already starting to talk."

Even as he said this, a group of women in green and brown robes wandered by. They smiled and nodded at Pearl, but when they saw Armando their eyes narrowed, and as Pearl and Armando passed by, the women huddled together and began muttering and whispering together, pointing and glaring at Armando before scurrying away.

"Yep." Armando sighed. "That's pretty much what I expected."

Pearl looked awkwardly at her own hands. "I…I'm sure it won't last long," she mumbled. "They'll get used to you. Um, we don't get much excitement around here, so of course they'd be curious and interested in, um gossiping about any newcomers."

"Uh huh." Armando gave her a wry little grin. "Yeah, right. I'm sure that's all it is."

"Pearly! Mr. Armando!" As they approached the house, they found Maya standing in the doorway and waving to them. "I just finished cleaning out that big back room! We're using it as a guest room, now! Um, so far all I have is a mattress and a coffee machine, but…"

"What else could a man ask for?" Armando shrugged. "Sounds like paradise. You're a doll."

"Um…" Pearl shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Mystic Maya, are you sure that it's appropriate for another man to be sharing your home with you? The women in the village will think it's strange, and…and what will Mr. Nick think?"

"Huh?" Armando frowned. "Mr. Nick? Wait, you and Wright aren't-?"

"Don't worry about it." Maya shook her head hastily. "Um, Pearly, it's fine. He's a visitor, and we're supposed to show hospitality to people in need, right? Besides, I bet the other girls will end up liking having a man around! We don't see a lot of attractive men around Kurain village, and Mr. Armando isn't that bad looking a guy!"

"O-oh." Pearl blinked. "I…hadn't thought about it like that." For some reason, she blushed.

"Uh, no offense," mumbled Armando, "but I don't think I really see myself playing the 'ladies man of Kurain.' The role doesn't suit. If it's all the same to you, though, there is one woman I was hoping to pay a call on while I'm here."

"Mr. Armando, I thought you said you didn't know anyone around here," remarked Pearl.

"Um, Pearly, I think…I think he's talking about someone else," aid Maya quietly. "Maybe someone who doesn't live here anymore." Turning to Armando, she nodded and said, "Well, if you want we can talk about that, but…later, okay? For now, why don't you go check out your room? It's got a big window and everything, and I filled up the coffee machine with some of that really gross stuff that Nick keeps around the office. You know, the stuff we had last night?"

"No kidding?" Armando smiled. "It's been almost twelve hours since my last cup of coffee. I have some kind of terrible craving. Maybe I didn't even understand real desire until last night, when I'd tasted my first cup of piercing paradise in over eight years. If you'll excuse me, there's a cup of desperately delicious coffee with my name on it. Don't want to keep my one true love waiting."

With that, he left the room, heading in the direction that Maya had indicated. Pearl and Maya were left alone in the foyer.

"He's…still kind of strange, just like before," murmured Pearl thoughtfully. "But he's kind. He was very nice to me when I met him at the gates, and he remembered me, too! I didn't think he would…"

"He's a kind man," agreed Maya, nodding emphatically. "{Pearl, we have to make his life here as wonderful as we possibly can! It's our duty as members of the Fey clan, you know? We have eight whole years of prison to make up for, so we should get started making him feel better right away! I wasn't kidding when I said that I want to introduce him to everyone. I bet that they'll really like him once they get to know him a bit more!"

Pearl didn't look so sure. "But…Mystic Maya, what if he doesn't want to be happy? Sometimes, being social can be…well, kind of scary. Maybe it would be nicer if we just left him alone for a little while, until he got used to being back in the real world."

Maya turned and snorted a laugh. "Pearly, what are you talking about? You and I both know that Mr. Armando will love it here! Besides, even if he wants to be left alone, that is not an option. Nick and I have a plan, and we're going to make him happy whether he wants to be or not! Just leave it to me!"

**To be continued…**


End file.
